Non-latex balloons, often referred to as metalized balloons, have been popular for many years. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,077,588; 4,290,763 and 4,917,646, the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference. Typically one or more sheets of the non-latex balloon is printed with a colorful decoration, such as a character, design, message, or combination thereof. More recently, toy products have developed which include a combination of balloons or a combination of balloons and other structures, such as appendages. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,338,243; 4,778,431 and 5,108,339, the teachings of which are also incorporated herein.
Films constructed of multiple layers are known in the art as a viable strategy to combine the characteristics of each film layer into an overall film construction. For example, it is well known in the art that metalizing polymeric films improves the barrier properties of that film towards water and gases such as carbon dioxide, oxygen and also lighter-than-air gas, such as helium. In the case of the latter, metalized polymeric films have found wide application for producing helium filled balloons. For example, metalized polyamides (e.g., Nylon 6) have been widely used in this application. However, the difference in mechanical properties between the Nylon layer and metalized layer can be problematic in this application. Upon inflation of a balloon, the Nylon layer stretches and can cause microscopic cracks in the metalized layer because the metalized layer does not have the same elastic properties as the Nylon. This unfortunately reduces the barrier properties of the film and subsequently the inflated life of the balloon. One strategy to alleviate this problem is to utilize a higher modulus, more stretch resistant polymeric film. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is an example. However, when a more stretch resistant film is utilized in a helium balloon construction this often results in greater instances in seam failure and film cracking because the force that was being dissipated by the film is now more highly concentrated at other areas of the balloon.
It is also known to construct buoyant helium balloons that comprise a sealant layer, a film layer and a metal barrier layer. Additionally, it is known in the art to use a primer to provide the desired level of adhesion between the seal and film layers that is required to produce a functional and robust balloon. The metal layer has been the focus of unsupported claims that buoyant metalized helium balloons have become entangled in power lines leading to nuisance power outages. The suspected cause of these incidents is attributed to the high electrical conductivity of the outer metal layer of these types of metalized balloons. To the extent such problems actually exist, our invention eliminates this concern by encapsulating the metal layer between insulating elastomeric polymer film layer such that the electrical conductivity of the finished balloon is reduced by at least 5 magnitudes (105).